This young and energetic being is a leading nutrition expert in the Czech Republic. And there are so many of them! She graduated with a master's degree in nutrition from the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, completed an American course under the Academy of Natural Health Sciences Training Center focused on the topic of dog and cat nutrition, and in 2024 she received the Pet Therapeutic Nutrition Coach certificate. Her work is her mission. As she says, the main thing is not to look at the packaging, but at the content in a broader context.
There are plenty of nutrition experts for dogs and cats in the Czech Republic.
Let's talk about what led you to this job and how thorny the path was. There aren't many nutrition specialists - real ones - in the Czech Republic.
My love for animals is the main driving force that has brought me to where I am. Plus, I tell myself that whatever is meant to happen, will happen. For a very long time, I thought that my life would revolve around horses. However, fate had other plans and always threw some small obstacle in my path and next to it, a topic related to dogs. I don't believe in coincidences, so the path was clear. And when I graduated from college, I came across an advertisement for a position as a nutritionist for dogs and cats. Even though it meant moving to almost the other side of the country, I didn't hesitate. I packed my canine partner Bentley (who is kind of my nutrition guru), my horse Thea and we set off together towards new experiences. It wasn't easy, but I don't regret it. I really enjoy and find my work fulfilling.
Do you encounter absolute ignorance from dog owners or are we Czechs not that bad when it comes to nutrition? Do people read labels or not?
People try to read labels. Unfortunately, they just don't know what to look for. They fall for marketing tricks and tend to look at and evaluate the composition of the feed rather than looking at the analytical components. However, analytical components are key when choosing the right feed for a given factor.
Do you know what your granules contain?
So how do you deal with analytical components on labels?
The answer is complex, because the analytical components should meet the needs of the dog, its activity and health status. But if we focus on some basis and choose food, for example, for an adult dog in normal activity, the protein content should be around 30%, the fat content 14%, the fiber on average in the range of 2.5 - 3.5% and ideally in the range of no higher than 8%. The ratio of calcium to phosphorus in the range of 1:1 - 1.5:1. If you are interested in what "ash" is, I would recommend my book " To je žráádlo, aneb co do biesky nasypat ," where you can learn more.
What other mistakes do Czech breeders make most often in their diet?
For example, in the use of treats and various supplements. Incorrect (excessive) use of treats or an inappropriately chosen type can have an impact on obesity, digestive problems, waste of food rations, overeating of the dog, etc.
What treats would you recommend for yourself?
When it comes to treats, you have to think about what you need them for, what your dog's health is, and choose accordingly. If you want something as a reward, something to eat... I recommend dried treats, natural ones, such as venison sticks. They are also suitable for dogs suffering from food allergies or intolerances. Dose in moderation (up to 10% of your dog's daily energy needs), which for a 2 kg dog can easily be ¼ stick per day.
It's easy to overfeed a dog to the point of obesity, even just with treats.
How would you say that nutrition is positive for coat quality? How can I tell if something is wrong?
The coat and skin, together with the digestive tract (the quality of the excrement), can tell the fastest how our pet is doing. It should correspond to the breed standard. And it should definitely not be dry, brittle, dull without shine. The skin should not be red, irritated, dry, flaky. We should not observe bald spots or dandruff in the dog's coat. Dry skin often encourages dogs to scratch more often and then the owner may believe that they suffer from, for example, a food allergy .
I understand that it's impossible to say for sure and probably impossible to name specifically, but what feeding method would you really like to see as the best?
This is a tricky question and unfortunately I cannot answer it unequivocally. because every dog is different, just like its owner is different. And that is why I always try to find a type and method of feeding that will suit the given furry friend and its owner. Damage can be done both when feeding with commercial food and when BARFing. For example, the absence of suitable selected vitamin and mineral supplements is often missing in home-prepared food (at least I often encounter this issue in consulted cases). 😊
Is there any advice on what to add to the food to make the coat healthier and more beautiful? Dog owners usually rely on salmon oil, although they usually don't find out anything further about it...
Yes, there are many supplements on the market that support coat quality. They are based on salmon oil or various other oils and fats . It is precisely the lack of fat in the feed, or the wrong ratio of fatty acids, that can affect the unattractive-looking, dry and brittle coat. In addition to oils and fats, proteins affect the coat quality and its color (e.g. phenylalanine and tyrosine play a key role in coat color). Furthermore, we cannot forget about minerals (zinc, copper, etc.) and vitamins (e.g. B vitamins). I would just like to point out here that no supplement can replace a high-quality, balanced feed .
"No supplement can replace a high-quality, balanced diet," says Adéla Palacká
Do you have any curious memories from your internship?
Well, there would be plenty of experiences and I am constantly surprised by how a person can move forward and discover something new every day. I probably remember the dog Dreama the most, who checked whether I was really sure that I wanted to enter the career of a nutritionist and live my professional dream. Since Dreama's time, my weight loss plans have been honed almost to perfection, because he was the one who was able to show me all the pitfalls that I would never have even dreamed of before. DREAM means DREAM. And it was after this consultation that the sentence resonated with me for a long time: Do you really want to live your dream and are you ready?
What to add to the diet at the end?
When you cook food with love, it takes on a whole new flavor dimension. Enjoy every moment together and learn to read your dog's reactions, as they are the best indicator of whether you are going in the right direction (whether it is nutrition or something else entirely...). :)
